"I Love Thee, Lord" by William W. Gilchrist [article]

Gilchrist was co-editor of a series titled The
International Choir,
in which the editors published a new anthem each week. They write in editorial
notes, "Few preachers would have the audacity to repeat a sermon to the
same audience within a few months. . . . But many choirs repeat their anthems
without serious criticism." With the weekly publications, they aimed
to help choirs avoid that repetition.

Gilchrist's anthem I
Love Thee, Lord appeared as no. 40 in volume 1 of the series, dated August 8, 1900. The editors
noted: "It is strong and fresh, out of the beaten track in form and style." The text is by the French mystic, Jeanne Guyon (1648-1717). The accompaniment
is written for piano, a departure from common practice. The piano introduction
presents a short figure that is taken over by the soprano solo and used as
a unifying device throughout the piece. Gilchrist is sensitive to the rhythm
of the English text, and the figure fits the text well.

The choral writing features a dialogue between the upper three voices and
the bass. Gilchrist was fond of using contrapuntal devices to enliven his choral
writing. At the end of the second verse, "Our source, our centre, and
our dwelling place," triplets suddenly emerge in the accompaniment. The
voices remain in common time, however, creating a rhythmic tension as the sopranos
climb to a high A.